


Aveelable

by sarahcakes613



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Blind Date, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, Veela (Harry Potter), Wizarding World (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:22:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26922070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarahcakes613/pseuds/sarahcakes613
Summary: Rafael's coworker Fleur sets him up on a blind date with her veela cousin.
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.
Comments: 17
Kudos: 56
Collections: Barisi Creatures Bingo





	Aveelable

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't think of anything to write for this prompt and my beautiful noodle sister Bexaroni who is a literal wizard when it comes to wizarding world AUs came through with this amazing idea. Thank you lovey!
> 
> Also, one of my biggest issues with the HP books as a reader is the way accents are portrayed. I find it very distracting when an English writer is trying to "show" a French accent. Y'all know Fleur is French AF, so go ahead and read her dialogue in the French accent of your choice.

“Rafael, we have been working together for what, six months?” Fleur looks at him from where she stands, wand in her hair as she studies an artefact on a light table.

“Something like that,” Rafael agrees. “Why do you ask?”

“You have met my husband,” Fleur says, “and you know about my children. And I know nothing about you. Are you married?”

“No, I’m not.” Rafael squints at her.

“Seeing anybody?” She presses.

“No, I’m quite happily single,” Rafael says. “And I’m not sure it’s any of your business either.”

“So you are available!” Fleur’s eyes widen with excitement. “I will arrange a date for you, yes? My cousin is very charming, even for an American. It is the veela blood, I think.”

“Oh, uh, that is – I couldn’t possibly,” Rafael stutters, his own eyes widening in response. As she’s just pointed out, he’s never discussed his private life with his coworker and he’s not sure how to say “please don’t set me up with your charming veela cousin because I am actually extremely gay.”

“Of course you could!” Fleur waves her hand as she leaves the room. “I’ll take care of everything,” she calls over her shoulder.

“I wish you wouldn’t.” Rafael mumbles weakly as he sits down heavily behind his desk. He likes Fleur, likes how clever she is and how much she’s been able to overcome in an industry still designed to work against women, much less those with veela heritage. He just wishes she weren’t quite such a force to be reckoned with sometimes.

He manages to put it out of his mind and focus on work for the remainder of the afternoon. He is debating working late versus going home to Netflix and a curry when a small tawny owl raps on the window near his desk.

He opens the window and exchanges a treat for the scroll tied around it’s leg. It hoots and flies off, not waiting for a reply. He opens the scroll and sees Fleur’s delicate script.

_You have a reservation at The Tipsy Undertaker for this evening at 6pm. My cousin will be wearing a blue shirt with white polka-dots. Have fun!_

Rafael looks down at himself and frowns. He’d worn his blue and white polka-dot tie today. He shakes his head and reaches for his briefcase, other hand gathering up a handful of floo powder. It’s already half-five and he needs to go home and feed his cat if he’s going to be out late.

As he steps out of the fireplace in his living room he catches sight of his reflection in a nearby mirror. He should probably shave, as well. Just because he’s not going to be this woman’s ideal match is no reason to show up looking unkempt.

At the very least, if she’s anything like Fleur, perhaps he’ll come away with another friend. And Fleur’s chosen the venue well, he’s been in the mood for a proper fish and chip lately.

At five minutes to, Rafael is clean-shaven and ready to head back out. He smooths down his hair and steps back into his fireplace. He only has a moment to wonder if perhaps he should be bringing flowers when he finds himself in the bustling midtown pub.

He steps out of the way of the incoming floo traffic and tries not to look too obvious as he peers around the room for a blonde woman in a blue and white blouse.

He spots a promising shirt sat alone at the bar, but his feet slow down as he approaches and he realizes the person wearing it is a man. He swallows his disappointment and hopes it doesn’t look too obvious as he veers course to keep looking.

“Rafael?”

Barba turns back slowly. The man is looking at him hopefully. He’s smiling, a small bashful thing but it lights up his entire face and Rafael can feel his cheeks turning as pink as the man’s lips.

Even seated, the man looks tall, an elegance to his posture that Rafael recognizes from Fleur. His hair is not blonde but shifting tones of pale silvery-gold and his eyes are the clearest blue Rafael has ever seen this side of the South Pacific Ocean.

“I’m Sonny,” the man sticks his hand out. “I’m Fleur’s cousin.”

Rafael is too surprised to do anything but take the proffered hand and shake it.

“I’m sorry,” he says, “I wasn’t expecting…”

“Yeah, I get that a lot.” Sonny laughs. It’s a surprisingly deep and raspy laugh, and being the one to cause it sends a warm thrill down to Rafael’s toes.

He gestures at the barstool next to him and Rafael sits. The barkeep comes over with a fresh pumpkin juice for Sonny and Rafael orders the same. He’s already feeling the heady rush of being in the presence of someone with unique magic and he doesn’t need to add alcohol to that mix, at least not on an empty stomach.

“May I ask?” Rafael waves a hand to encompass Sonny’s being and Sonny laughs again.

“Oh yeah, of course.” He pauses to take a sip of his juice. “Male veelas are rare but we do exist. Or at least, partials like me. I’m one-quarter, same as Fleur. We’re not technically cousins, or I mean, we are but not like, directly. We have the same grandma, but Nana Therese had two husbands. My parents thought they’d only have girls, because veela ancestry is so strong on the female side, but surprise!” Sonny’s hands do a little ta-da motion.

Rafael watches Sonny’s hands move as he speaks, mesmerized by their fluid movements. He thinks Sonny is telling him about his three sisters but the words wash over him and that same warm feeling is flooding through him.

“What’re you smiling at?” Sonny pauses his story to ask and Rafael sits up, aware that he’d been slumping over, chin in his hand. He rearranges his face to remove whatever goofy expression he probably had.

“I’m just pleasantly surprised at how my evening is turning out.” Rafael says, and he internally prides himself on managing to sound even remotely smooth when he feels so giddy inside.

“Yeah?” Sonny’s pink lips curl up as he looks at Rafael through a tangle of silver eyelashes. He leans in closer to Rafael and his eyes drop down to Rafael’s mouth.

Rafael leans forward as well and their mouths meet, lips lightly pressing, the taste of pumpkin juice in stereo. Sonny pulls away before he can deepen the kiss and he blinks, his mouth hanging open.

“That was nice,” Sonny says softly. Rafael nods in agreement. “But could we – that is, I’d like to get to know you some more. Over dinner?”

Sonny looks nervous as he says this and Rafael’s heart aches as he thinks about what it must be like to be seen as a rare specimen, especially one who is unable to control the way men respond to them just by virtue of their unique magic signature. He has a feeling Sonny has gone on more than a few dates with men who didn’t care to have dinner first.

“Of course,” Rafael says, his voice just as soft. “I’d love to get to know you better, Sonny.”

When Sonny smiles at him again, his beam is powerful enough to light up an entire city block.

* * *

The next time Rafael encounters a veela, he remembers flowers. He deposits the bouquet on Fleur’s desk the morning after his date with Sonny.

She smiles coquettishly at him. “Your date went well, I take it?”

“It did, thank you. I had a wonderful time with Sonny.” Rafael pauses, unsure how to word his question. “How did you know?”

Fleur arches one perfectly manicured brow. “How did I know to set you up with Sonny and not one of his sisters?”

Rafael blushes. “Yes, that.”

She laughs, and Rafael hears seashells tinkling in the wind. “Rafael, we have been working together for what, six months?” She asks, a repeat of yesterday.

“Something like that.” Rafael confirms again.

“I am part-veela and every man responds to my nature, most without even realizing it. You have not once reacted to me.”

Rafael’s mouth opens and then closes as he thinks about what she is saying. He’d never reacted because he hadn’t realized there was anything to react to. Unlike Sonny, who’s entire essence smells like lemon and thyme, Fleur’s never tickled his nose beyond the external notes of her perfume.

Her smile grows as she sees the realization dawn on his face.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” He asks.

Fleur shrugs, sniffing daintily at the flowers. “It wasn’t my business.”

**Author's Note:**

> I found one of those goofy "first name initial/last name initial" things for coming up with the name of your British pub name and Tipsy Undertaker was the result for L & O.
> 
> Also, this is my 50th Barisi! Eyyy.


End file.
